Lewis Hamilton thanked Ferrari staff with Fortnum & Mason hampers and signed cards after his debut season with the team

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur admits he underestimated the challenges Lewis Hamilton faced in his first season with the team.

The legendary Brit endured a testing maiden campaign with the legendary Italian constructor and ended the year with an eighth-place finish in Abu Dhabi. This meant that, for the first time in his glittering F1 career, Hamilton ended the season without a podium finish to his name.

Lewis Hamilton’s dream move to Ferrari resulted in a nightmare first season. The 40-year-old British driver’s quest to win a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 title with his new team failed dismally, with Hamilton not even getting on the podium in a Grand Prix race.

After the first five Grands Prix of the season, Lewis Hamilton predicted the remainder of the year would be "painful". Just how painful, though, arguably went beyond his wildest imagination. So after a miserable end to 2025,

Lewis Hamilton endured his worst season in Formula 1 in terms of points and results; Hamilton joined Ferrari at the start of the year but has largely struggled with no podiums or front row starts; watch every round of the 2026 Formula 1 season,

He has been a dominant force in racing for years, but his move to Ferrari in 2025 resulted in no wins and no podiums.